# J. Suckling



## Funnymantrip (Oct 28, 2004)

Carni showed me a video where CA is smoking the Boli RC in NYC. Yep throw the box on the table and review the cigar. I have to say I was very disappointed in James. When I read his section of CA and all the cigars I get to smoke, I think of an old old guy, wearing a fedora, bitter and crotchety. Kind of like Burt Sugar only meaner. Nope, normal looking guy who seems to like hints of magagascar vanilla. I have not been this dissapointed about actually seeing someone in person since I ran into the 'hot' girl dj who turned out to be 275 and quite fugly.


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## Sean9689 (Nov 9, 2005)

Me no understand. Not quite sure what you're trying to say. Can you revise your post above?


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## rumballs (Mar 15, 2005)

Sean - he's talking about this video, if that's what you're missing 
http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=73566


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

He's a pretty good reviewer except when it comes to port.


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## LeafHog (Feb 11, 2004)

the man is aptly named.


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## Puffy69 (Sep 8, 2005)

LeafHog said:


> the man is aptly named.


:r there you go..:tu


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## carni (Jan 18, 2007)

i feel ya man, the word i look for is pip-scweek.:ss


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## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

I wonder if OFAC is watching the same video ?


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## BP22 (Apr 13, 2006)

RPB67 said:


> I wonder if OFAC is watching the same video ?


Seriously...you gotta love the box of RCs right on the table. :r


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## Moosie (Apr 25, 2005)

A nice video and I agree a great smoke.:tu


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## Airborne RU (Oct 7, 2006)

LeafHog said:


> the man is aptly named.


I too was a bit surprised when I heard his voice... I guess he has a few friends named Nancy.


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## croatan (Mar 23, 2005)

I've never been impressed with his review or his comments on Cuba. From the people I know in Cuba (not to mention those with more credible palates), it seems as though his views on the people, the culture, and the cigars are rather misplaced and, for lack of a better term, shallow.


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## Ivory Tower (Nov 18, 2005)

I wouldn't readily question his palate that, although another person might not taste what he does, has been tasting all kinds of excellent epicurean delights for years and on which he has relied for a well-paying job for years. He does a decent job reviewing IMO.


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## Sean9689 (Nov 9, 2005)

mmblz said:


> Sean - he's talking about this video, if that's what you're missing
> http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=73566


Thanks for the link!


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## BamaDoc77 (Jan 31, 2007)

I enjoyed that......


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## Eternal Rider (Feb 27, 2006)

Damn, now I am going to have to get a box of them!


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## LiteHedded (Apr 10, 2005)

I'm not a fan of suckling
I don't like the way he acts on the CA boards


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## lenguamor (Nov 23, 2006)

LiteHedded said:


> I'm not a fan of suckling
> I don't like the way he acts on the CA boards


Ditto.

The guy has it made - great job, lives in Italy, enjoys access to Cuba whenever he wants - every reason to be a happy man, and he walks around acting like an asshat.


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## newcigarz (Feb 11, 2007)

lenguamor said:


> Ditto.
> 
> The guy has it made - great job, lives in Italy, enjoys access to Cuba whenever he wants - every reason to be a happy man, and he walks around acting like an asshat.


Yeah doesn't sound to bad to me.


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## a2vr6 (Oct 28, 2006)

The guy looks and talks like a real loser. The other guys he was with actually sounded more knowledgeable.


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## stogie_kanobie_one (Feb 9, 2006)

Screw Suckling... I wanna know how dey do dat?

I mean... As Chris Rock would say... HOW can I be DOWN?

Video... illegal cigars.... no problem. R. Kelly must have come from the same school as these guys. Do something illegal on tape... no worries.


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## a2vr6 (Oct 28, 2006)

I think they are either not as paranoid as some people or they just don't give a crap. :ss


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

Funnymantrip said:


> I have not been this dissapointed about actually seeing someone in person since I ran into the 'hot' girl dj who turned out to be 275 and quite fugly.


They don't say " she has a great face for Radio" for nothing. Stick around...you're bound to find another reason to be disappointed in him.


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## ATLHARP (May 3, 2005)

Ivory Tower said:


> I wouldn't readily question his palate that, although another person might not taste what he does, has been tasting all kinds of excellent epicurean delights for years and on which he has relied for a well-paying job for years. He does a decent job reviewing IMO.


There is no bigger habana whore in the world than James Suckling. His articles are the only reason I still peruse CA. His article on the Upmann factory and advances there was quite nice. His notes on Vintage Porto is quite good as well.

http://www.thevintageportsite.com/

I would like to hang with him for about 2 hours and pick his mind on some vintage sticks.

ATL


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

ATLHARP said:


> I would like to hang with him for about 2 hours and pick his mind on some vintage sticks.
> 
> ATL


Andrew,
Just make sure that is all you "Pick".:r


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

_I just lit up a Montecristo Petit Edmundo, and the spicy and tobacco character in the smoke is seducing me like a lost girlfriend who wants me back, and is willing to do anything to make me happy._
Hehe, methinks he doth try too hard. I ain't buying it. Unless that voice and speech pattern are some kind of California thing I just don't get.


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## a2vr6 (Oct 28, 2006)

I was going to point the same quote out, more wishful thinking than reality for this guy.:r


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## Corona Gigante-cl (Sep 8, 2005)

a2vr6 said:


> I think they are either not as paranoid as some people or they just don't give a crap. :ss


As I understand it, it's not illegal to own or to smoke Cuban cigars, it's illegal to buy or sell them. If they received the box for free from Habanos S.A., which you have to think would be the case, then it may be that neither of them is doing anything illegal.

Just my $0.02, no lawyer I.


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## carni (Jan 18, 2007)

Corona Gigante said:


> As I understand it, it's not illegal to own or to smoke Cuban cigars, it's illegal to buy or sell them. If they received the box for free from Habanos S.A., which you have to think would be the case, then it may be that neither of them is doing anything illegal.
> 
> Just my $0.02, no lawyer I.


habanoa s.a....free...i didn't think they gave away anything free. if so i may hunt down suckling, get his attention, and look at him in stern disgust.:ss


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## lenguamor (Nov 23, 2006)

stogie_kanobie_one said:


> Screw Suckling... I wanna know how dey do dat?
> 
> I mean... As Chris Rock would say... HOW can I be DOWN?
> 
> Video... illegal cigars.... no problem. R. Kelly must have come from the same school as these guys. Do something illegal on tape... no worries.


Well, there's "illegal," and then there's "*ILLEGAL!"*

Like, being an illegal migrant farm worker is "illegal;" being an al-qaeda operative who infiltrated the country is "*ILLEGAL!"*

Us buying Cuban cigars is just "illegal."


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## JGIORD (Jan 1, 2000)

It is illegal for you to own, purchase, or be in possession of (which includes smoke) any Cuban product. Government officials and journalists have exemptions, which entitle them to be in possession of and purchase Cuban products (i.e. cigars). 

Nice hypocracy huh :sb :c :gn


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## lenguamor (Nov 23, 2006)

JGIORD said:


> It is illegal for you to own, purchase, or be in possession of (which includes smoke) any Cuban product. Government officials and journalists have exemptions, which entitle them to be in possession of and purchase Cuban products (i.e. cigars).
> 
> Nice hypocracy huh :sb :c :gn


Yeah. :r If it's for your personal enjoyment, no go.

But hey, if it's so you can somehow make money off them indirectly, have at it! You're welcome!


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## Mr. White (Dec 4, 2004)

JGIORD said:


> It is illegal for you to own, purchase, or be in possession of (which includes smoke) any Cuban product. Government officials and journalists have exemptions, which entitle them to be in possession of and purchase Cuban products (i.e. cigars).
> 
> Nice hypocracy huh :sb :c :gn


Technically there are no exemptions for cigars.

http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/cuba/cuba.pdf

And if you want to know what OFAC is up to recently concerning them. http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/civpen/penalties/04042007.pdf Scroll down to the bottom.


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## JGIORD (Jan 1, 2000)

This use to be the rule:

www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/legacy/ccigars.pdf

I believe (but I may be wrong), that Clinton raised the limit to $200. Point being the only ones permitted to legally go to Cuba are government officials and journalists.

This could be outdated.

White, I was having trouble opening your links.

Thanks,

Either way it sucks...


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## broozer (Mar 23, 2006)

yeah, i don't know how suckling keeps that job. concerning the first cigar, the flor dominicana "whatever it was", he said that he got a great draw off of it. anyone notice that when he did draw hardly ANY smoke came out of his mouth. hell, i'm smoking a jose piedra right now that is producing more smoke than that overpriced crap he was smoking in that video..........and mine's a helluva lot cheaper. 

as for his words on the BRC: of course it's a great cigar.........it's from CUBA you idiot! again, jose piedras taste better than $20 fuentes any day of the week. none of you should put any weight into any reviews out of the CA magazine. 

no ill will towards sucking at all, but it's obvious from those videos that he's full of shit.

bruce


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## Mr. White (Dec 4, 2004)

JGIORD said:


> This use to be the rule:
> 
> www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/legacy/ccigars.pdf
> 
> ...





Office of Foreign Assets Control or OFAC said:


> IMPORTING CUBAN-ORIGIN GOODS OR SERVICES - Goods or
> services of Cuban origin may not be imported into the United States either
> directly or through third countries, such as Canada or Mexico. *The only
> exceptions are publications, artwork, or other informational materials.*
> ...


Basically it's down to Government officials now, everyone else is fair game. Of course, they only go after the average Joe, because they figure we're easy targets.

OFAC is also advertising the people they are nailing with fines now.



Recent Penalties listed said:


> INDIVIDUALS - 31 CFR 501.801 (d)(1)(ii)
> 
> One individual has agreed to a settlement totaling $820 for dealing in property in which Cuba or a Cuban national had an interest: Between January 2005 and December 2005, the individual purchased Cuban-origin cigars offered for sale on the Internet. The individual did not voluntarily disclose this matter to OFAC.
> 
> One individual has agreed to a settlement totaling $1,071.90 for dealing in property in which Cuba or a Cuban national had an interest: Between September 2004 and February 2005, the individual purchased Cuban-origin cigars offered for sale on the Internet. The individual did not voluntarily disclose this matter to OFAC.


I know on other sites people have speculated about how the Treasury Department is going about this. All indications point toward looking at Visa overseas charges to certain vendors in Hong Kong. (due to post 9/11 law changes it has become quasi-legal for them to do this without a warrant. I think if someone were to actually go to court and fight it though, that the ruling might not be in their favor. They are looking at financial records going back as far as 2002 and all the way up to 2006 so far. It's slow going but I think it's only a matter of time before they set up a more efficient system of sifting through records and expand their search to include Master Card as well. This is not fact, but is merely my opinion.

It's interesting to note that everyone they have nailed with fines ignored the first certified letters they received asking for details on the purchases. Supposedly those who have responded (whether it be to say they have no info, plead the 5th, etc) have fared better but it's hard to say because the community at large hasn't wanted to advertise their troubles (and understandably so). However a few have stepped up and are making the process they are going through public. These letters are different from the Seizure notices that most people have known about for years.

So basically, the video is evidence of an illegal act committed by C.A. Staff. Even though the one guy makes his citizenship in Italy, he was still not authorized to bring contraband into the United States. OFAC doesn't seem to want to make a big stink with anyone who has the power to make one though, so they're weeding out average joe's here and there and squeezing them for penalties.


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

I just think I am going to stake out his front porch. As soon as the mailman passes, I am going to jump out of the bushes, grab the loot and run.:tu


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## ATLHARP (May 3, 2005)

Blueface said:


> Andrew,
> Just make sure that is all you "Pick".:r


Sorry am I bringing back bad memories of you and Raul Castro?:bn

ATL


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